Rangers Vs USG

Jack Butland has stated that he has managed to "move on" from his own goal at Old Trafford as he focuses on helping Rangers achieve the best possible outcome in their upcoming Europa League clash against Union Saint-Gilloise. Butland's own goal, which came during Rangers' recent league phase match, put Manchester United ahead, with Bruno Fernandes scoring an added-time winner after Cyriel Dessers had equalized for Rangers. Despite the setback, Butland's mindset remains forward-focused as he aims to contribute to his team's success in the competition.

The Ibrox side knows that a victory against Union Saint-Gilloise would secure them a seeded spot in the upcoming play-off round of the Europa League. Additionally, a win could potentially be enough to earn them a top-eight position, guaranteeing automatic qualification for the tournament's last 16. For Butland, the life of a goalkeeper is one that demands mental resilience. The 31-year-old England international reflected on the own goal, emphasizing that the role of a keeper is inherently unforgiving. He acknowledged the immense pressure that comes with such a mistake but explained that, in his case, he was simply trying to be positive and help his team. Though the execution of his decision didn’t go as planned, Butland noted that he remains confident in the choice he made.

“The life of a keeper is a very unforgiving one,” Butland explained. “There’s maximum punishment, you know. I look back at that situation and that goal and what I did was trying to be positive, trying to help the team out. I made the right decision to come, but just executed it not in the way that I wanted to. So, if you're able to look at it like that with games coming thick and fast, you can quite easily move on. Doesn’t mean you forget about it, but you can take comfort in the fact that you were trying to do the right things."

Despite the setback, Butland maintained that he had performed well throughout the majority of the game. He asserted that, for large parts of the match, if not for the majority of it, he hadn’t put a foot wrong. This reflects his broader philosophy of focusing on what he did well and letting go of mistakes in order to move forward. 

The 31-year-old goalkeeper had previously missed all of Rangers’ January fixtures due to a leg injury that he sustained during the festive period. Speaking on the matter, Butland expressed relief that the injury was now behind him, allowing him to look forward to the challenges ahead. He described the injury as a common issue that had developed into a more severe situation, though he emphasized that the doctors and physiotherapists at Rangers, as well as the hospital staff, were instrumental in helping him recover quickly.

"It was a common injury that developed into probably the worst-case scenario, so it was a really sudden and unexpected thing," Butland said. "One that we got on top of very quickly. The doctors and physios here, as well as the guys at hospital, were brilliant."

The injury, which had been a recurrence of an earlier issue, began as a dead leg. While a dead leg may seem like a minor injury, Butland explained that it essentially involves internal bleeding, which can be more serious than it sounds. He noted that he had inadvertently injured the same area once again, causing the bleeding to continue without stopping. As the bleeding persisted, it caused his leg and quadriceps to swell significantly. At one point, his leg grew to the size of several jean sizes larger than normal, which, understandably, became concerning for him.

"The pressure my leg grew, and my quad at the time was a few jean sizes bigger than what it should have been, so it can get scary at that point," Butland said. "That's why hospital was involved, because if it doesn’t stop bleeding, then it goes down the operation route and it’s messy. But thankfully, it was one that’s then quite simple, but stubborn to get through."

Despite this, Butland’s recovery was relatively straightforward once the bleeding was managed, and he was able to return to full fitness in time for Rangers’ upcoming fixtures. Now that the injury is behind him, he is eager to get back to playing and contributing to his team’s success, particularly in their crucial Europa League match against Union Saint-Gilloise.

Meanwhile, Union Saint-Gilloise, the Belgian side that Rangers will face on Thursday, have enjoyed a strong run of form since the start of the current season. After finishing third in the Belgian league and securing a runners-up position in the following campaign, the team has grown into a formidable force in Belgian football. Notably, Union Saint-Gilloise also secured their first major trophy in nearly 90 years by winning the Belgian Cup. 

However, the start of this season was less than ideal for the team, with a series of disappointing results. Despite this, Union Saint-Gilloise has regained their momentum, particularly since the end of October. They have only suffered one cup defeat in their last 18 matches, a remarkable turnaround that has seen them climb back into the top three of the Belgian league. Their recent form in the Europa League has also been impressive, as they have won their last three matches in the competition, further boosting their confidence as they head to Ibrox.

For Union Saint-Gilloise, this improved form signals a return to the competitive edge that made them such a dangerous side in recent years. As they travel to Glasgow to face Rangers, they will no doubt be brimming with confidence, knowing that their strong performances in both domestic and international competitions have put them back among the top sides in Europe.

Rangers will need to be at their best if they are to secure the vital win that would see them progress to the next stage of the Europa League. With Butland fully recovered and ready to make his mark, the team will be hoping to put their previous setbacks behind them and ensure a positive outcome on Thursday. For Butland, the focus remains on moving forward, learning from past experiences, and helping Rangers achieve their goals.